Bobbin handling system

ABSTRACT

A system is disclosed for automatically supplying filled bobbins to winding stations of a winder which is serviced by a patrolling tender. The tender carries apparatus for delivering filled supply bobbins to the winding stations, and has a knotter for uniting the unwinding end of a supply bobbin with the yarn end of a package being formed at the station. Responsive to the demand of the delivery apparatus for bobbins, a distributing conveyor provides it with readied supply bobbins from a source of supply. Either in timed succession, or responsive to a sensed demand of any winding station for a bobbin, or both, the delivery apparatus delivers a bobbin to a reserve bobbin position at the station, with the unwinding end of the bobbin positioned for retrieval by the knotter. After a bobbin is unwound at a station it is ejected from the station and the reserve bobbin is moved into the unwinding or active position as its unwinding end is united with the package end. The ejected bobbin is conveyed to a sorter system and if it still carries sufficient yarn, it may be returned to a winding station, as previously described. If the bobbin is substantially emptied of yarn, it is ejected from the system. The system can concurrently handle various types of bobbins and sort and deliver the bobbins to winding stations designated for handling a particular type of bobbin.

United States Patent 1 Brouwer et al.

NOV. 27, 1973 BOBBIN HANDLING SYSTEM [73] Assignee: Leesona Corporation,Warwick, R.I.

[22] Filed: July 3, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 268,759

[52] US. Cl. 242/355 R, 242/355 A [51] Int. Cl B65h 54/26 [58] Field ofSearch 242/355 R, 35.5 A,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Furst PrimaryExaminer-Stanley N. Gilreath Attorney-Burnett W. Norton et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT A system is disclosed for automatically supplying filledAbbott 242/356 R bobbins to winding stations of a .winder which isserviced by a patrolling tender. The tender carries apparatus fordelivering filled supply bobbins to the winding stations, and has aknotter for uniting the unwinding end of a supply bobbin with the yarnend of a package being formed at the station. Responsive to the demandof the delivery apparatus for bobbins, a distributing conveyor providesit with readied supply bobbins from a source of supply. Either in timedsuccession, or responsive to a sens-ed demand of any winding station fora bobbin, or both, the delivery apparatus delivers a bobbin to a reservebobbin position at the station, with the unwinding end of the bobbinpositioned for retrieval by the knotter. After a bobbin is unwound at astation it is ejected from the station and the reserve bobbin is movedinto the unwinding or active position as its unwinding end is unitedwith the package end. The ejected bobbin is conveyed to a sorter systemand if it still carries sufficient yarn, it may be returned to a windingstation, as previously described. If the bobbin is substantially emptiedof yarn, it is ejected from the system. The system can concurrentlyhandle various types of bobbins and sort and deliver the bobbins towinding stations designated for handling a particular type of bobbin.

22 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEDNUYZ? 191s 3.774.859

SHEET 3 BF 3 FIG 8 INVENTORS Charles W Brouwer John Nel s on FIG. 9

llmlllt.

4/. 7 M ATTORNEY 1 BOBBIN HANDLING SYSTEM This is a continuation, ofapplication Ser. No. 96,382 filed Dec. 9, 1970.

This invention relates to winding and, more particularly, to anautomatic bobbin handling winding system.

As used herein the terms bobbin" and package" mean any core or othermember on which yarn is wound so that it may be readily moved from placeto place, or to yarn which is so wound; the term filled bobbin means abobbin having a winding of yarn thereon, whether full or partially full;phrases such as various types of bobbins" and different types ofbobbins" mean bobbins having different cores, or different yarns, orboth different cores and yarns; the term system means a system to theextent set forth in a particular appended claim, and such a claimedsystem may or may not be part of a more comprehensive system such as mayautomatically returnbobbins to a spinning room, for example; and theterm yarn is employed in a general sense to apply to all kinds of strandmaterial, either textile or otherwise.

Winding machines equipped with tenders for patrolling and servicingwinding stations of the winder have been provided with automatic bobbinsupply mechanism for delivering bobbins to the stations which aregenerally at a bottom portion of the winder. However, the location ofthe patrolling tender generally requires positioning of the bobbinsupply mechanism so that it is likely to interfere with convenientservicing of the equipment by a winder attendant. For example, thebobbin supply mechanism may be positioned proximate the bottom of thewinder with the tender moving thereabove, so that the attendant muststretch across the bobbin supply mechanism in order to provide personalattention, such as doffing at the winding stations. Also, bobbindelivery sensing mechanism must be associated with each winding station.Overhead bobbin supanism on the tender which unites the unwinding endwith an end on the package being wound at the station;

1 and-provision for delivering particular ones of various ply mechanismhas previously been impractical in such systems because as the tendermoves from station to station it would interfere with passage of thesupply bobbins to the stations. Additionally, most attempts at sortingbobbins ejected from the winding stations have met with little successin the field.

It is. therefore, an object of this invention to provide a new anduseful bobbin handling system.

Another object is provision of a new and useful bobbin handling systemfor a winder having a plurality of winding stations and deliveringapparatus movable for vpartrolling the stations and delivering bobbinsthereto. More specifically, a related object is provision of such asystem including a source of supply of filled bobbins, provision forconveying the filled bobbins from the source of supply to the deliveringapparatus with the delivery apparatus mounted for movement with a tenderfor servicing the stations. Another related object is provision ofdelivery apparatus to deliver bobbins to the stations either in timedsuccession or responsive to a sensed demand of the stations for bobbins,or in both such timed succession and responsive to such sensed demand.Other related objects include: provision for ejecting emptied bobbinsfrom the stations, sorting the ejected bobbins, and returning to thedelivery apparatypes of filled bobbins from the source of supply tostations designated for receiving the particular type. The invention is,in' brief, directed to a winding system for automatically supplyingfilled bobbins to winding stations of a winder having a patrollingtender for servicing the stations. The bobbins are delivered from asource of supply to a distributing conveyor which in turn delivers thebobbins to delivery apparatus on the tender for subsequent delivery tothe winding stations. The delivery apparatus delivers bobbins to thestations in timed succession or responsive to a sensed demand of thestations for bobbins, or both. Theunwinding end of the yarn on thebobbin delivered to a station is positioned for retrieval by a knotteron the tender which unites this end with an end on a package being woundat .the station. Provision is made for sorting the emptied bobbins whichare ejected from the stations and for returning. partially filledbobbins to the stations, and for ejecting substantially emptied bobbinsfrom the system.

The bobbin handling system provides for concurrently handling varioustypes of bobbins.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, schematic plan layout of a textile millinstallation including a handling system for various types of bobbinssupplied to a winder;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of a bobbin sorting portion of thehandling system;

- FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, schematic vertical sectional viewtaken generally along the line 3--3 in FIG. 1, with parts broken awayand removed for clearer illustration;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, schematic plan view taken generally along theline 4 -4 in FIG. 3, to a reduced scale, and with parts omitted forclearer illustration;

tional plan view, taken generally along the line 5-5 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, schematic, vertical sectional view takengenerally along the line 6--6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary, schematic, sectional plan view takengenerally along the line 7--7 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, schematic elevational view of aportion of the mechanism shown in FIG. 3, with portions modified andwith parts broken away and removed for clearer illustration;

FIG. 9 is a diagram of a control circuit for a portion of the apparatus;and

FIG. 10 is a modification of apparatus shown in FIG.

With reference to FIG. 1 of the drawings, and as is more fully describedin U. S. Pat. No. 3,480,128, various types 10 of filled bobbins 12 aremaintained separated from other types 10 within bins 14 in a spinningroom 16 and each of the types is transported by an associated one ofseparate conveyors 18 to orienting ap- FIG. 5 is an enlarged,fragmentary, schematic sec- 7 As supplied to the bobbin holders, thebobbins have preferably been prepared for subsequent use, for example,by readier apparatus 26 (FIG. 2) such as is disclosed in U. S. Pat. No.3,544,018 and U. S. Pat. application Ser. No. 859,150, and also US. Pat.No. 3,606,0l 2 which operates to The above noted readiers form theunwinding end 28 (FIG. 3) of a body of yarn 30, on a hollow bobbin core32 of the bobbin 12, into a bunch 34 and insert the bunch into thehollow core 32 for subsequent retrieval.

From each bobbin holder 24 the filled and readied bobbin 12 passes to adistributing system 36 and is deposited in one of a plurality of buckets38 of a distributing conveyor 40 which travels about a winder 42. Fromthe buckets 38 the bobbins are dropped into delivery apparatus 44 (FIGS.3, 4 and 8) which may be independently movable, or mounted on a tender46 which patrols and services winding stations48 of the winder 42, fordelivering the bobbins to the stations. Each bobbin 12 is dropped fromthe delivery apparatus 44 into a reserve position 50 (FIG. 3) in amagazine 52 (FIGS. 3 and 4) at one of the winding stations 48 designatedto handle a particular type of bobbin 12. At the winding stations 48 thebobbins 12 are unwound and ejected I to conveyors 54 (FIGS. 2 and 3),one for each of the types of bobbins, and thereafter the ejected bobbinsmay pass through a sorting system 56 (FIG. 2) and be returned to thewinding stations, if desired, as will be discussed later.

As is more fully described in the previously noted patent, U. S. Pat.No. 3,480,128, and with reference to FIG. 8, a bobbin 12 is retained ina generally upright tube 58 (FIG. I) of the bobbin holder 24 by'means ofa gate 60 fixed to the lower end of a vertical shaft 62 mounted injournals 64 (only one shown) suitable fixed to the tube 58. The gate 60has an arm 66 connected with the plunger of a double acting actuatingcylinder 68 which opens the gate to release the bobbin to a distributingconveyor bucket 38 when a solenoid valve 70 is energized, as will bedescribed later. Upon deenergizing the valve 70 the cylinder closes thegate.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 3 and 8, the distributing system 36 has afixed frame 72 (FIG. 3) atop the winder and the'frame is supported bylegs 74 (only one shown in FIG. 3). The distributing conveyor 40 is inthe form of a continuous belt 76 mounted in a track 78 (shown only inFIG. 8) on the frame 72 and suitably driven for movement in onedirection (as indicated by the arrow 79, FIG. 1) about suitable pulleys80 (FIGS. 1 and 3) on either end'of the frame. The belt carries sets ofthe bobbin receiving buckets 38, one set for each type 10 of bobbin 12being handled. The buckets 38 of each set may be grouped together orthey may be alternated with buckets of the other sets.

With reference to FIG. 8, each bucket 38 has a generally upright body 82and a bobbin retaining gate 84 which pivots about a horizontal stud 86mounted on the body 82 for movement of the gate 84 from an upper, closedposition for retaining a bobbin 12 in the body 82, to a lower, openposition for discharging the bobbin to the bobbin delivery apparatus 44.Qvercenter spring mechanism 88 releasably retains the bucket gate 84 ineither position. An opening cam 90 on each bucket gate 84 is engaged bya retractable, extended pin 92 on the delivery apparatus 44 to open thegate, as will be discussed later.

When a bucket 38 is empty its gate 84 remains open and engages a switchactuator (not shown) on the frame 72 just upstream of the associatedbobbin holder 24 from which the empty bucket 38 is to receive anappropriate one of the types 10 of bobbins 12. Operation of this switchactuates the solenoid valve and thereby the actuating cylinder 68 toopen the holder gate 60 and discharge a bobbin ]2 into the bucket 38.After operating the solenoid switch and before receiving the bobbin thebucket gate 84 is closed by closing cams (not shown) on the frame 72downstream of the switch. I

The bucket 38 carries its bobbin 12 about the winder 42 to the deliveryapparatus 44 mounted on tender 46. The tender 46 may be of any suitabletype, and several such tenders are commercially available and known inthe field. One type of commercially available tender 46 is schematicallyshown in the drawings and is selfpropelled on a continuous track 94(FIGS. 1 and 3) below the distributing conveyor 40 and above the winder42, and moves in one direction (as indicated by the arrow 96, FIGS. 1, 4and 5) about the winder 42 for patrolling the winding stations 48. Thetender preferably moves in a direction opposite that of the distributingconveyor and continues its movement while uniting the unwinding end 28of a reserve filled supply bobbin 12 (previously deposited at a station48) with the end of a package (not shown) being wound at the station.Other types of tenders may move back and forth while patrolling thestations, and may or may not stop while servicing a station. The subjectbobbin handling system is equally applicable to any type of patrollingtender.

The delivery apparatus 44 includes a plurality of bobbin delivery tubes98 (FIGS. 3-6) and 8), one for each of the different types 10 of bobbins12, and these tubes may be mounted in sets front and rear of the tender,as on arms 99 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 8) fixed to the tender, so that the fronttubes provide a storage facility for bobbins in the event of amalfunction temporarily discontinuing the supply of bobbins to thetubes.

With reference to FIG. 8, as a bobbin 12 passes from a bucket 38 into adelivery tube 98 it engages a gate 100 which is fixed to a shaft 102suitably journaled on the tube 98. The gate 100 is held in a waitingposition (phantom lines in FIG. 8) by an overcenter spring 104 securedat opposite ends to a cam 106 fixed to an end of the shaft 102 and to alug 108 on the tube 98. In the waiting position the gate 100 is'inclinedfrom the shaft 102 and moves overcenter to a bobbin holding position(solid lines) when the bobbin 12 seats on the gate. In moving to thebobbin holding position the cam 102 is rotated and moves a pivoted lever110 which is connected to one end of a cable 112 having its opposite endconnected to the bucket gate opening pin 92 to retract the pin so thatsubsequent buckets 38 not be opened to discharge a bobbin 12 into thenow full delivery tube 98.

When various types of bobbins are being handled by the system theactuating switches of the bobbin holding tube solenoid valves 70 and thecams 90 on the bucket gates 84 are selectively positioned to coact, andthe pins 92 of the delivery tubes 98 are selectively positioned toengage only the cams 90 of appropriate bucket gates, so that the varioustypes 10 of bobbins 12 are maintained separated from each other, as ismore fully discussed in the previously noted patent, U. S. Pat. No.3,480,128.

The delivery tube gates 100 may beopened in various suitable manners todeliver their bobbins to the moved passed a station 48 and has started apreviously delivered reserve bobbin unwinding, as will be discussedlater. ln one commercially known tender system allstations 48 whichhandle a particular type of bobbin are ganged together. A shelf 114(FIGS. 36) is suitably fixed to the winder 42 and extends along thewinding stations 48. As the delivery apparatus 44 moves about the winder42 actuators in the form of spring fingers 116, one for each ofthestations 48, and mounted on the shelf 114 engage selectivelypositioned actuating lugs 118 on latches 1211 (FIGS. and 6) one pivotedby a pin 121 to each of the reardelivery tubes 98, to release theassociated gate 100 from its bobbin holding position for movement to anopen position responsive to the associated overcenter spring 104 and theweight of the bobbin 12, thus discharging a bobbin into the re serveposition 511 in the magazine 52 at the winding station. Each actuatinglug 118 extends downwardly from one end of a bar 122 telescoped in aslide 124 (FIG. 6) fixed on its latch 120, the opposite end of the bar122 carrying a positioning lug 126. The positioning lugs 126 arestaggered transversely (not shown) of the path of the tender 46 forengagement by an associated one of positioning cams 128 (FIGS. 4 and 5),one for each of the gangs of station. These cams 128 are similarlystaggered and are suitably fixedly mounted on the shelf 114 at locationsabout the winder, each just before the associated gang of stations. As apositioning cam 128 moves its positioning lugs 126, and thereby theassociated actuating lugs 118, to an active position for engagement bythe fingers 116 an adjacent cam 130 moves the positioning lugs 126 ofthe previously active latches 120 out of the path of the fingers 116.Thus, the bobbins may be delivered to the winding stations withoutmodification of the winding stations. As the open tube gate moves withthe tender a cam 131 on the gate engages a closing cam 131A mountedalong anedge of the shelf 114 and the gate-is thereby moved overcenterso that the overcenter spring 104 moves the tube gate to its waitingposition to await another bobbin. Alternatively, bobbins may bedelivered responsive to a timing mechanism to be described.

With reference to FIGS. 3, 8 and 9, the bobbins are preferably droppedfrom the front or leading delivery tubes 98 to the winding stations 48responsive to a sense demand of any particular winding station for abobbin. To this end the delivery apparatus 44 is provided with a sensingsystem in the form of a phototransducer 132 (FIGS. 3 and 9) and a lightsource 134 suitably fixedly mounted for movement with the deliveryapparatus 44 by means of an arm 136, and positioned on the same side ofa bobbin 12 in the reserve position 50 of the station 48 so that asignal is provided when the beam from the light source 134 is reflectedoff of the bobbin to the phototransducer 132. This signal is connectedthrough an amplifier circuit 138 (FIG. 9) with groups 140 each of .twonormally open switches 142 and 144, and a solenoid valve 146 (FIGS. 8and 9), one of the groups for each of the delivery tubes 98. One of theswitches 142 of each group 140 determines which tube 98 is to drop abobbin and is closed by the appropriatepositioning cam 128 and opened bythe associated cam 130, as described with reference to the rear deliverytube latches 120. The other switch 144 of each group 140 is operated bya timing mechanism 147 (FIGS. 3 and 7) for opening the tube gate 100(FIG. 8) when the tube 98 is properly positioned to drop its bobbin 12into the station magazine 52. The timing mechanism includes a fixed rack148 extending along the tender track 94 vand about the winder 42.'Agear150 is mated with this rack and through a shaft 152 journaled at 154on the tender rotates a sprocket 156 (FIG. 7) which drives a chain 158mounted on this sprocket and on a cooperating idler sprocket (notshown). The chain 158 is driven in the direction of the arrow 159 (FIG.7) and carries a plurality of actuating cams 160 which close theswitches 144 and maintain these switches closed a predetermined periodof time. When both switches 142 and 144 of a group 140 are closedthenormally closed solenoid valve 146 of the group, is open. As is morefully described in. the previously noted patent U. S. Pat. No.3,480,128, the opened valve 146 provides operating air to adouble actingpneumatic cylinder 162 (FIG. 8) having its piston rod pivoted to theassociated delivery tube gate 100 for opening the gate to drop a bobbininto the empty reserve position 50 of the associated station magazine52. When the actuating cam 160 releases the switch 144, after the bobbinhas been dropped, the solenoid valve 146 shutsoff and vents theoperating air from the cylinder 162, thereby closing the gate 100.

Another mode of opening the delivery tube gates 100 responsive tosensing demand of the stations 48 for bobbins is applicable to at leastone type of commercially known winder. With reference to FIGS. 3 or 10in such a winder the supply bobbin 12 is held in an active or unwindingposition 164 on an end of a peg 166 telescoped into the hollow core 32of the bobbin. The other end of the peg 166 is pivoted, as at 168, to anend of a lever 170 fixed to a shaft 172 which is automatically rotatedin a known manner to withdraw the peg 166 from the bobbin core 32 whenthe yarn being unwound breaks or is exhausted. As the peg 166 iswithdrawn the bobbin 12 is seated on a base 174, and the peg movesthrough a slot in this base. When the peg 166 is withdrawn from the corethe bobbin is ejected and falls onto the ejected bobbin conveyor 54(FIG. 3). Continued rotation of the shaft 172 causes the peg to swingthrough the slot in the base 174 and under, and then into the hollowcore of the bobbin in the reserve position 50 of the magazine 52, andthe peg moves this bobbin into the active or unwinding position 164.Thus, the winding station 48 requires another bobbin 12 from thedelivery apparatus 44. To this end, and with reference to FIG. 10, aplatform 176 is positioned abovethe base 174 at the reverse position 50and is fixed to a generally horizontal shaft 178 suitably journaled onthe magazine 52. An end of an arm 180 is fixed on an end of the platformshaft 178 and is connected with an end of a cable 182 having its otherend connected to a spring finger 184 suitably slidably mounted in theshelf 114 to elevate the finger into the path of an actuating lug 118 ona tube gate latch 120, as previously describechto open the tube gateand. drop a bobbin into the magazine 52, thus depressing the platform176 and retracting the finger 184 out of the path of following actuatinglugs. A tension spring 186 secured to the magazine 52 and the arm 180movesthe arm and finger upwardly when the bobbin is moved from thereverse position 50 to the active position 164 and off of the platform176.

As a bobbin 12 drops into a delivery tube 98- the unwinding end bunch 34is removed from the hollow core 32 of the bobbin and the unwinding end28 is retained in the tube as the bobbin drops from the tube into thereserve position 50 ofa winding station. The unwinding end 28 ispositioned in a retaining clip 190 (FIG. 3) on a side of the magazine52. Such end retrieving and positioning may be accomplished in variousways. For example, a nozzle 192 is mounted on the underside of and opensthrough the delivery tube gate 100 and is connected by a flexible tube194 with a valve 196 (FIG. 8),

. the lever 110 on the tube upon movement of the gate from the waitingposition to the bobbin holding position and is timed to close after apredetermined period sufficient to dislodge thebunch 34 from the core32. As the unwinding end bunch 34 is ejected from the hollow core 32 bythe jet of air it is entrained by a flow of air into a vacuum line 200(FIG. 3) opening into the side of the tube 98 and is thereby retained.When the gate 100 opens and the bobbin 12 drops into the reserveposition 50, continued movement of the tender 46 engages the unwindingend 28 with the clip 190 and the unwinding end is thereupon brokenbetween the clip and the vacuum line 200 and withdrawn into the vacuumline.

Ejected bobbin conveyors are well known in the industry and one isprovided for each type bobbin being handled. These conveyors 54 (FIGS. 2and 3) carry the bobbin l2 ejected from the winding stations 48 to asorting system, as 56. A plurality of sorting systems 56 are provided,one for each of the types 10 of bobbins 12 being handled, and eachreceives its ejected bobbins from the asociated ejected bobbin conveyor.One such system is shown in FIG. 2 and is fully described in U.S. Pat.No. 3,606,012. In brief, the ejected bobbin conveyor 54 deposits itsbobbins in any suitable type of sorter 202 as noted'in the lastmentioned patent. Substantially emptied bobbins are delivered to anysuitable conveying means 204 and are discharged from the system andfilled bobbins are returned by a suitable conveyor 206 to the orientingapparatus and then to the readier 26. If the bobbins pass inspectionthey are returned to the distributing system 36 for return to the winder'42.

To summarize the operation of the system handling various types 10 ofbobbins 12, the source of supply of each type of bobbin includes abobbin holder 24 (FIG. 8). The distributing conveyor buckets 38 aredesignated for receiving but one type of bobbin and when a bucket isempty it causes the gate 60 of the bobbin holder 24 containing theproper type of bobbin to open, depositing the filled bobbin in thebucket. Similarly, when one of the delivery tubes 98 on the patrollingtender 46 requires a bobbin it causes the gate 84 of a bucket containingan appropraite type of bobbin to open thereby depositing the bobbin inthe delivery tube. As the tender is moving about the winder and comesupon a winding station 48 (FIGS. 1 and 3) requiring a fresh supplybobbin the appropriate delivery tube 98 drops a bobbin into the stationsmagazine 52 and positions the unwinding end 28 for retrieval by theknotter on the tender 46. The winder 42 is equipped with a plurality ofempty bobbin'conveyors 54, one for each of the various types of bobbins.Each of these conveyors 54 discharges its bobbins into separate sorters202 from which the bobbins are either ejected from the system or arereturned to the associated bobbin holder 24 and are then returned to awinding station, as previously described.

While this invention has been described with reference to particularembodiments in a particular environment, various changes may be apparentto one skilled in the art and the invention is therefore not to belimited to such embodiments or environment except as set forth in theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for servicing a plurality of winding stations each of whichis operable to unwind strandular material from a bobbin comprising,tender means operable to patrol said winding stations and service eachsaid station to reinitiate strand processing thereat, bobbin conveyormeans disposed proximate to said tender means, means on said tendermeans for removing a bobbin from said conveyor means, and means on saidtender means to conduct said removed bobbin to a locus proximate one ofsaid stations where said bobbin is positioned preparatory to unwindingof the strandular material therefrom.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said locus includes a firstposition for supporting an active unwinding bobbin and a second positionfor supporting a reserve bobbin, and including means on said tendermeans for displacing said active bobbin from said first position andtransferring said reserve bobbin to said first position.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 including means for sorting bobbinsdisplaced from said active position, and delivering said displacedbobbins having strandular material thereon to said conveyor means.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including processing means on saidtender for arranging the outer end of strandular material on saidremoved bobbin for ready withdrawal at one of said winding stations. v

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means for moving saidconveyor means in a direction opposite to the direction of movement ofsaid tender means.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means for providing asignal indicating a requirement for a bobbin at said locus from saidconveyor means.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said conveyor means isoperable to handle different types of bobbins, and including meansregulating the removal of said bobbins from said conveyor means toeffect removal of a bobbin from said conveyor means appropriate to thetype of strandular material being processed at the station at which saidbobbin will be unwound.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means on said tender forstoring at least one reserve bobbin for delivery to said locus.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said signal means includestiming means.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said signal means includesmeans on said tender means operable in response to said tender meansmoving away from said locus.

11. Apparatus for servicing a plurality of strand processing stationscomprising, means for receiving disoriented bobbins and orienting saidbobbins, means for delivering said oriented bobbins to bobbin conveyormeans, tender means movable along said plurality of processing stations,said tender means being proximate said bobbin conveyor means andoperable to service said stations, and means for transferring bobbinsfrom said conveyor means to said tender means for utilization at saidstations.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein each said processingstation includes a supply bobbin position, and including guide means onsaid tender means for directing each said bobbin from said tender meanstoward a supply bobbin position. i

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said supply bobbinposition is a reserve bobbin position, and including means for movingeach said bobbin from said reserve position to an active unwindingposition.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim' 13 including means for displacing abobbin from said active unwinding position and moving said bobbin insaid reverse position to said active unwinding position.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 including I means for sortingbobbins displaced from said active unwinding position, and deliveringsaid displaced bobbins having strandular material thereon to saidconveyor means.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 including means for readying theouter strand end of each of said bobbin for ready finding of said end.

17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 including means for freeing theouter strand end of each bobbin for ready withdrawal at a one of saidstations.

18. Apparatus as set forth in claim '11 including means .for providing asignal to said transferring means indicating a requirement for a bobbinat a station.

19. Apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said signalling meansincludes timing means.

20. Apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said signalling meansincludes photoelectric means.

21. Apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said signalling meansincludes means operable in response to said tender means moving awayfrom a station.

22. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 including means for storing atleast one bobbin from said conveyor means on said tender means.

1. Apparatus for servicing a plurality of winding stations each of whichis operable to unwind strandular material from a bobbin comprising,tender means operable to patrol said winding stations and service eachsaid station to reinitiate strand processing thereat, bobbin conveyormeans disposed proximate to said tender means, means on said tendermeans for removing a bobbin from said conveyor means, and means on saidtender means to conduct said removed bobbin to a locus proximate one ofsaid stations wherE said bobbin is positioned preparatory to unwindingof the strandular material therefrom.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim1 wherein said locus includes a first position for supporting an activeunwinding bobbin and a second position for supporting a reserve bobbin,and including means on said tender means for displacing said activebobbin from said first position and transferring said reserve bobbin tosaid first position.
 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 includingmeans for sorting bobbins displaced from said active position, anddelivering said displaced bobbins having strandular material thereon tosaid conveyor means.
 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 includingprocessing means on said tender for arranging the outer end ofstrandular material on said removed bobbin for ready withdrawal at oneof said winding stations.
 5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 includingmeans for moving said conveyor means in a direction opposite to thedirection of movement of said tender means.
 6. Apparatus as set forth inclaim 1 including means for providing a signal indicating a requirementfor a bobbin at said locus from said conveyor means.
 7. Apparatus as setforth in claim 1 wherein said conveyor means is operable to handledifferent types of bobbins, and including means regulating the removalof said bobbins from said conveyor means to effect removal of a bobbinfrom said conveyor means appropriate to the type of strandular materialbeing processed at the station at which said bobbin will be unwound. 8.Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means on said tender forstoring at least one reserve bobbin for delivery to said locus. 9.Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said signal means includestiming means.
 10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said signalmeans includes means on said tender means operable in response to saidtender means moving away from said locus.
 11. Apparatus for servicing aplurality of strand processing stations comprising, means for receivingdisoriented bobbins and orienting said bobbins, means for deliveringsaid oriented bobbins to bobbin conveyor means, tender means movablealong said plurality of processing stations, said tender means beingproximate said bobbin conveyor means and operable to service saidstations, and means for transferring bobbins from said conveyor means tosaid tender means for utilization at said stations.
 12. Apparatus as setforth in claim 11 wherein each said processing station includes a supplybobbin position, and including guide means on said tender means fordirecting each said bobbin from said tender means toward a supply bobbinposition.
 13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said supplybobbin position is a reserve bobbin position, and including means formoving each said bobbin from said reserve position to an activeunwinding position.
 14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 includingmeans for displacing a bobbin from said active unwinding position andmoving said bobbin in said reverse position to said active unwindingposition.
 15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 including means forsorting bobbins displaced from said active unwinding position, anddelivering said displaced bobbins having strandular material thereon tosaid conveyor means.
 16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 includingmeans for readying the outer strand end of each of said bobbin for readyfinding of said end.
 17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 includingmeans for freeing the outer strand end of each bobbin for readywithdrawal at a one of said stations.
 18. Apparatus as set forth inclaim 11 including means for providing a signal to said transferringmeans indicating a requirement for a bobbin at a station.
 19. Apparatusas set forth in claim 18 wherein said signalling means includes timingmeans.
 20. Apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said signallingmeans includes photoelectric means.
 21. Apparatus as set forth in claim18 wherein said signalling means includes means operable in response tosaid tender means moving away from a station.
 22. Apparatus as set forthin claim 11 including means for storing at least one bobbin from saidconveyor means on said tender means.